Geared turbine-driven set.



R. H. RICE.

GEARED TURBINE DRIVEN SET. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1915.

1 1 55, 63 Patented Se f. 2S, 1915.

Inventor, Richard H. Rice.

xrq-umu um um: msmamm c7 RICHARD H. Bron,

0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNUB T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COIDLUHBQBTT ACQRPOBATION 015 NEW YORK.

GEARED TURBINE-DRIVEN SET.

Specification 0r Letters latent. Famnted Sept. 28, 1915.

Application filed May 25, 1915. Serial No. 30,368.

driven thereby. These may be of any char actor, but I have chosen toillustrate an electric generator driven by .a high speed steam turbineas the conditions presented are rather more severe and exacting thanwith most other apparatus.

There are on the market at the present time geared horizontal shaftturbines arranged to drive electric generators and pumps. In theseconstructions the driving andthc driven shafts-art; located side by sideand in the same horizontal plane with the gears between. The turbine andapparatus driven thereby are bolted to a bed plate as is also the gearbox, the latter containing bearings for, the shafts and being entirelyindependent of the turbine and.

driven apparatus. Such a construction, is open to very seriousobjections, especially for large sizes. In the first placeit requiresthe useof a bed plate which, of itself, is costly and heavy. 'In thesecond place the driving and driven shafts are located side by side butspaced apart in the same horizontal plane: instead of being in the samevertical plane. which gives rise to heavy twisting strains or stresses,and to reduce the eifects thereof the bed .plate has to bemadeabnormally heavy thereby increasing its cost. In the thirdplace,-t-he-independent mounting of the turbine, gear box and generatorre quire that the bed plate shall be further increased in weight toreduce the effects of vertical strains or stress. Furthermore, a

relatively long and thin flat bed plate is not well adapted to resistvertical stresses no matter how itis constructed. This arrangement alsomakes it more difiicult to machine the parts and to 'aline them.

The object of my invention is to.provide an improved arrangement ofhorizontal shaft geared turbine driven sets and one which is free fromthe objections abovenoted. a

In carrying out my intention I do away with the bed plate altogetherthereby eflecting a saving in cost and weight at the outset. 1 provideboth the turbine, and the apparatus driven thereby, in this case anelectric generator, with good substantial feet which rest directly onthe foundation. Between the turbine and generator is located a bridgingmember which rigidly unites the two and which has its greatest strengthin a vertical. plane where the greatest stresses occur. Thisbridgingmember, or suspended gear box, as it may be called, also contains thegears and bearings for the driving and driven shafts, said shafts beinglocated in the same vertical plane with the driving shaft preferably,but not necessarily, at the bottom. This vertical arrangement avoids thetwisting strains which are'so objectionable in prior constructions. Thestresses in this case are-insignificant.

My invention is particularly applicable to turbine driven sets of largesize where the power transmitted from. the turbine to the drivenapparatus is correspondingly great and where the stresses to be takeninto account are of a high order. As illustratingthe' problemconfronting side .the engineer, and not as a limitation of my invention,the following figures are given of a 1000 kw. turbo-generator'setconstructed by me in which the turbine shaft rotates at 3600 R. P. M.and the generator at 600 R. P. M. The complete set measures'in length inround numbers 24 feet and weighs approximately 53,500 pounds, of whichthe turbine weighs about 19,200 pounds and the generator about 16,700pounds, The combined bridging member and suspended gear box is roughly10 long and 4' 10" high at' the narrowest point. The. total weightthereof is about 17,600 pounds.' From these figures it is apparent thatthebridging mem ber has considerable weight and length. Owing to theweight the tendency of the parts to get into vibratory motion is reducedto a small value, and owing to its length the member possesses a certaindegree of elasticity, the two factors coiiperatingll reducer i015 Ivibration and noise and largely prevent vibrations from beingtransmitted to the foun-i dation.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one of the embodiments of myinvention,

Figure 1 is a view in side. elevation of a 10 geared turbo-generator;Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the hollow bridge member orsuspended gear box, and Fig. 3 'is a cross-sectional view taken on line3-3 5 01 Fig. 2.

just-ment. As both sets of bearings are simii'ided with a seat toreceive the bearing 16 :Beferring to the drawing, 5 indicates a Ifoundation usually of concrete, upon which i the set is directlymounted.

L '6' indicates the turbine and 7 the genflderator or other apparatusdriven thereby,

each mounted on two feet as indicated at 6 and 7. Only one foot for eachmachine shows'in the drawing, but it will be under.- stoodthat thereisanot-her similar foot on as oil. At each end 'of the member is acircular head 8 having an internal flange which is rabbeted to thecorresponding surface of the turbine and apparatus ripen of, the memberbetween heads is substantially rectangular, the greatest dimension ofwhich is vertical to resist vertical stresses. The top of the member isclosed by a removable cover 9, which is bolted to said member and alsoto the right hand head. This coyer ,is

arched to increase its strength and is alsoprovided with transversestiffening ribs 9 located on opposite sides of-the driven gear and whichalso serves to confine the lubrica'ntto .the gear containing chamber.The

member also has side openings closed by cover plates 10 and ll to permitaccess to the gears.

its ends, each wall having a shaft opening with a removable. cover 13 toconfine the lubricant to the gearchamber, It is also provided'withtransverse webs ll and 15 which, in addition to bracing the member, alsoserve as supports for the bearings.

There are also fore and aft ribs 15 which are united with thoseextending across the member to further strengthen the structure.

The arrangement of the bearings is important as much" depends upon theaccuracy with which they are made and upon their exact positions andtheir capacity for ad- 'lar;,\a1 d scription of one of them willsufiice. Tlieiweb 15 has, generally speaking, a U- shaped opening, andatthe' bottom is prothe opposite side. Between thecasings of thereby.'Such a joint, while simple in construction, is very strong.Thecross-section l The bridge member or suspended gear box f is bracedby transverse walls 1:2. located near mamas for the short lower drivingshaft. In hori- I shaft is lubricatedby .oil rings that engage the uppersurface thereof and dip into the oil in the. chamber below.

The bearing .18 for the low speed or driven shaft is supported fromabove and is so arranged that it'can' be removed with the shaft whennecessary or desirable. The bearing is held in. place by a cross-member19 which forms a seat therefor. The ends of the member are seated onlarge flat shoul ders :20'formed at the upper end of the U- shaped webor rib. It is also to be noted that the vertical legs of the web extendfrom the bottom to practically the top of the bridging member orgearbox't-hereby increasing the stifl'ness of the structure. Between thecross-member and said fiat surfaced shoulders thin shims may be readilyinserted to change the vertical distance between the shaft centers inorder to adjust the relation of the teeth of the driving pinion 21 anddriven gear 22. In order to provide for lateral adjustment thecross-member 19- has down turned ends and between said ends andshoulders on opposite sides ,of the web are located long and relativelythin wedges :23 so that, by slightly easing the wedge or wedges on oneside and driving in the other or others on the opposite side, thebearing support, and hence the bearing, can be moved bodily fromone'side to another by the necessary amount. Instead of wedges 7 metalstrips of difi'erent thickness may be employed; The bolts 24 whichsecure the member in place have a small clearance between their bodiesand the walls of the receiving holes to permit of this adjustment. Thecap :25 for the bearing 18 is located below it so as not to interferewith the adjusting devices. It is supported wholly bv the cross-member,being separated from the web by small clearances. To assemble the gearsthe pinion and its shaft are first mounted in place with the bearingsand then the driven gear and its shaft and'bearings. To disassemble thereverse operation is ,fol lowed. y

The pinion. which may be of any suitable construction both as to bodyand tooth formation, is mounted on a short shaft which is connected tothe turbine shaft 26 by aflexible coupling 27 of any'suitableconstruction. The driven-gear. whichalso may be of any suitableconstruction both as to body and tooth formation, is mounted on a shortshaft which is connected to the shaft 28 of the generator or otherapparatus by a solid or flexible coupling :29, as occasion demands.

In the lower part of the geaiwbox is a chamber containing lubricant, theribs and webs being provided with openings, such as 30, to permit oil tofreely flow from one place to another. To keep a constant level a darn31 is provided from which oil flows from the main supply to the sump 32from which itis drained back to its source. Ow ing to the character ofthe figures the sup ply pipe for the oil is not shown. I havenotspecifically illustrated the means for lubricating the bearings ofthe shaft of the driven gear because this can be done in a variety ofways.

In some cases it is necessary or desirable toemiploy thrust bearings forone or both gears which also serve to position the rotors of the turbineand generator. In

the present case, the turbine shaft is provided with a thrust bearing 33and the generator or driven shaft with a thrust bearing 34. 'Both ofthese hearings are of a character to limit the motion in eitherdirection, and being old and well lmownhave not been specificallyillustrated or described. In illustrating my invention I have shown anelastic fluid turbine arranged to drive an electric generator but it isevident that a pump, or compressor may form the driven apparatus. Alsoin other cases I may drive the low speed shaft by a turbine and cause itto rotate the other element of the system at a higher speed.

In ac'cordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together a withthe apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodimentthereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is"only illustrative, and thatthe invention can be carried out by .other'means.

What I claim as new and desire to se cure by Letters l'atent'of theUnited States,

1. In combination, arr-elastic fluid turhim, an apparatus driventhereby, shafts for the turbine and apparatus, a bridging member whichis suspendedbetween and supported by the casings of said turbine andapparatus, and gearing between the shafts which is wholly supported bysaid member.

2. In combination, an elastic fluid turbine, an apparatus driventhereby, shafts for the turbine and apparatus, a member which forms abridge uniting the turbine and driven apparatus, said member beingsuspended between and supported by said turbine and apparatus, gearingbetween the shafts, theaxes-of said gears being located rat-us driventhereby, main shafts for the turbine and apparatus which are located inthe same vertical plane, a suspended bridge member which unites theturbine and apparatus, short shafts which are united-With the mainshafts and are located one over the other, gearing between the shortshafts,

and bearings for the short shafts which gresupported wholly by thebridge mema In combination, a turbine, an appa-. ratus driven thereby,shafts for the turbine and apparatus, a suspended bridge memher whichunites the turbine and apparatus, said member being hollow and providedwith cross-ribs for stiffening it, gears for transmitting motion fromone shaft to, die

other, which are located one above the other within the member, shaftsfor said gears,

'and bearings for the last named shafts which are supported by thecross-ribs.

5. In combination, a turbine, an apparatus driven thereby, shafts forthe turbine and apparatus, a suspended bridge member which unites theturbine and apparatus,

said member being hollow and --provided with transverse walls near itsends through which the shafts extend and also withinternfil' supports,gearing for transmitting motion from one shaft to the other, shafts for,said gearing, and bearings for the gearing shafts which are carried bysaid internal supports.

6. In combination, a turbine, an apparatus.

driven thereby, shafts for the turbine and apparatus, a suspended bridgemember which unites the turbine and apparatus, said member being hollowand provided with a pair of webs or ribs each having a U-shaped openingtherein, gearing for transmitting motion from one shaft to the other,shafts for said gearing, bearings for the gearing shafts arranged insets, one set of bearings being mounted in the bottoms of said openiiigsand the other set located at the top and in vertical alinement with thefirst set.

7. In combination, a turbine, an apparatus driven thereby, shafts forthe turbine and apparatus, a suspended bridge member. which unites theturbine and apparatus, said member being hollow and provided with a pairof vertically ,dispo'sedwebs, each of which has a seat atitslower endand tinished surfaces at its upper end, gears for transmitting motionfrom one shaft to the other located one above the other, shafts for.said gears, bearings for the lower gear shaft which engage the seats,and bearings for the upper gear shaft which are supported by saidfinished surt'aces.

35 j the other whose axes are in the same vertical 8. In combination, aturbine,'an apparatu driven thereby, shafts for'the turbine anapparatus, a suspended bridge member which unites the turbine andapparatus, said member being hollow and provided with. a

pair of vertically disposed webs, each, of

which has a seat at its lower end and shouldered surfaces at upper end,gears for transmitting motion from. one shaft to the other, shafts forsaid gears, bearings for the lower gear shaft which are-supported by thelower part of said webs,-bearings for the upper gear shaft-s which aresupported on the shouldered surfaces by cross-members having overhangingends, and vmeans cooperating with the shoulders and overhanging ends toadjust the bearings sidewise.

9. In combination, a turbine, an apparatus driven thereby, shaft-s forthe turbine and apparatus, a hollow suspended bridging member whichunites the turbine and apparatus, said member being braced internally bywebs, an archedcover .for the.member which is rigidly bolted thereto andforms a part of the gear casing, gearsfor transmitting motion from oneshaft to the other located within the member, shafts for said gears, andbearings for the gear. shafts supported by the member.

10. ,In combination, a turbine and apparatus driven thereby. shafts forthe turbine and apparatus, a hollow suspended bridging member. which hasenlar ed circular heads boltedto the turbine an apparatus,gearsfor-transmitting motion from one shaft to driven memos plane,shafts for said gears, bearings for the 'ings in the member which arealined with the main shafts, couplings between the main and short shaftslocatedwithin the member, and gears on the short shafts for transmitting mot-ion from one to the other.

12. In a ,geared turbo-generator set, the combination ofa turbine casinghaving supporting feet, a generator easing having supporting feet, acombined bridge and gear box supported in suspension between saidcasings, said bridge "and casings forming a rigid frame for the set,bearings carried by the gear box, vertically alined shafts in said ibearings, and reduction gearing carried by Said shafts.

13. In a geared tu rho generatorse't, the

combination of a turbine casing, a generator casing, a comblned bridgeand gear box carried insuspension between them and forming therewith arigid frame structure, and

a driving pinion and a driven gear arranged in said gear box with theirshafts in vertical alinement and with the pinion below the gear. Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto my hand this 21st dayof May, 1915.

RIGHARD H; RICE.

set

